In the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac on Sunday, a handyman broke into a vacated Covington area home where he had worked and stole a safe containing a reported $300,000 in jewelry and coins, authorities said. The handyman, his fiancee and a second man, all from the Mandeville area, were arrested Tuesday after a gold-buying business reported an unusual amount of gold being sold to them, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office reported Thursday.

Leah Frosch

Cody Huther, 23, who allegedly stole the safe and later got rid of it by tossing it into a river, is being held for observation in a hospital after trying to strangle himself with his shoelaces during the booking process, the Sheriff's Office said. He will be booked with looting upon his release from the hospital.

His fiancee, Leah Frosch, 20, is booked with looting, while Cameron Lemoine, 24, is booked with possession of stolen things and being an accessory after the fact.

The home owner, who evacuated the parish because of the hurricane, reported the safe contained more than $300,000 worth of jewelry and coins. Due to the power outage, the alarm system to the home was not functioning at the time of the burglary, authorities said.

Cameron Lemoine

A housekeeper at the home on River Road called authorities Sunday evening to report a burglary at her employer's residence, according to the Sheriff's Office. Evidence at the scene indicated that the intruder forced his way through the back door and went straight to a safe located in a walk-in closet. No other items or areas of the home were disturbed.

The next day, a gold-buying business in the Covington area reported an unusually large volume of gold being sold to them. Detectives identified the seller as Lemoine, who allegedly confessed to deputies that he helped a friend dispose of the safe in a river and took some of the stolen gold for himself. Detectives then picked up Huther and Frosch.

During an interview, Huther admitted to breaking into the home and stealing the safe, the Sheriff's Office said. Huther was familiar with the residence and the location of the safe because he had done work around the home previously, the agency said.

Frosch allegedly admitted that she was present during the planning of the burglary by Huther, that she provided Huther with her vehicle to carry out the burglary, and that she participated in separating the jewelry to be sold.

Deputies served a search warrant at the home Huther and Frosch shared at 1359 Clausel St. near Mandeville, where they found a large amount of gold hidden, authorities said. A "large portion" of the stolen coins and jewelry has been recovered, Sgt. Sean Beavers said.

During the booking process, Huther tried to strangle himself with a pair of his shoelaces, the Sheriff's Office said. Reacting quickly, deputies removed the shoe string from around his neck, and Huther was taken to a hospital where he remains under observation.